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The French passé composé, Taught not just answered. 

A real-time, 1:1 lesson on The French passé composé: an AI teacher explains it out loud while it visualizes every step. Interrupt it, ask why, and it checks you got it, in 26 languages.

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The idea

What is The French passé composé?

The passé composé is the French tense used for completed past actions, the one you reach for when telling what happened. It is made of two parts: a helper verb in the present tense, usually avoir but être for a small set of movement and change verbs plus all reflexive verbs, followed by the past participle of the main verb. With être the participle agrees with the subject in gender and number, so 'elle est allée' takes an extra e.

Where it appears: GCSE and IGCSE French, AP French, IB French B, DELF A1 to B1, CBSE and ICSE French.

Where learners get stuck

Why The French passé composé is hard

Choosing avoir or être, remembering the agreement rule with être, forming irregular participles (eu, été, pris, fait), and deciding between passé composé and imparfait for a story all trip learners.

The picture a good explanation starts with: A frame showing 'j'ai mangé' and 'je suis allé' side by side, helper verb and participle in different colours, with the 'house of être' verbs listed in a small drawing beside it.

A lesson, step by step

How a lesson on The French passé composé goes

  1. 01

    Ask

    Type or say "Which French verbs take être in the passé composé?" in your own words, in any of 26 languages.

  2. 02

    Plan

    The tutor plans a storyboard, one picture per idea, starting with a frame showing 'j'ai mangé' and 'je suis allé' side by side, helper verb and participle in different colours, with the 'house of être' verbs listed in a small drawing beside it.

  3. 03

    Explain

    It explains The French passé composé out loud while the picture builds step by step, pitched to your level (GCSE and IGCSE French and up).

  4. 04

    Interrupt

    Say "wait, why?" or type a doubt: it stops, answers over the picture, and carries on. Ask for a different explanation any time.

  5. 05

    Check

    A checkpoint question makes sure the idea landed, and Test Lab keeps the practice going.

  6. 06

    Your notes

    Upload a PDF or a photo of your class notes or a past paper and the lesson follows your textbook's terms.

Ask it anything

Questions learners ask about The French passé composé

  • Which French verbs take être in the passé composé?
  • How do I know when to add an extra e or s to the participle?
  • Passé composé or imparfait: how do I choose?

Any of these, or your own, typed or spoken. The tutor answers on the picture and adapts to how well you are following.

Questions

Asked, Answered

Can LetMeTeach explain The French passé composé?

Yes. Ask in your own words and the tutor plans a lesson on The French passé composé: it starts with a frame showing 'j'ai mangé' and 'je suis allé' side by side, helper verb and participle in different colours, with the 'house of être' verbs listed in a small drawing beside it. Then it explains each step out loud as the picture builds, stops when you say "wait, why?", and ends with a checkpoint question.

Where does The French passé composé come up?

GCSE and IGCSE French, AP French, IB French B, DELF A1 to B1, CBSE and ICSE French. The lesson is pitched to your level and the exam or curriculum you follow, and you can upload your own notes or past papers so it uses your textbook's terms.

Can I learn The French passé composé in my own language?

Yes. LetMeTeach teaches in 26 languages and plans the lesson in the language you choose rather than translating an English one, so the terms match what your textbook says. The Free plan includes 7 hours a month with no card.

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